Brake



July 1o, 192s.

' J. EATON v BRAKE v Filed April l, 1927' F'i i.

l'f* I 6 Inventort JQ hn Eaton by is Attorn ey Patented July 10, 1928.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOH'N EATON; OF SCHENLECTADY, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

BRAKE.

Application filed April 1,

This invention relates to brakes7 particularly friction brakes oi the normally applied and clectroinagnetically released type, and the principal object ot the invention is to insure a smooth application ot the brake.

In the ordinary form of electromagnetic brake, such ttor example used in elevator or hoisting service, the brake is provided with suitable springs for biasing the friction shoes into engagement with the rotatable braking drum when the brake releasing electromagnet is deenergized. lVhen the eitective pressure of the brake applying springs is made sufficiently strong to insure f that the elevator or hoisting load is held securely at rest there is always a tendency for the brake to grab or snub just prior to bringing the load to rest. Then dash pots or other forms oit' retarding devices are einployed in an endeavor' to obtain a gradually increasing spring pressure, there is a. tend- `cncy for the brake to grab or snub in case' an excessive spring pressure is applied before the load is brought to rest.Y

lilith the improvements of the present invention the grabbing or snubbing tendency of the brakes are effectively overcome and at the same time ample braking eliect ob tained to insure that the load is quickly brought to and n'iaintaiucd at rest.

'Brietly, this is accomplished by means of an improved brake applying lever mechanism arranged so that the ellective pressure oi the brake applying springs is decreased at'ter the initial application of the brake. 'illhis provides a gradually decreasing braio ingr effect that is just suiiicient to bring the load to rest smoothly and Without apprech able grabbing or snubbing. Vlith the load brought to rest the brake applying lever mechanism then functionsto increase the efiective pressure of the brake applying springs to the full value so as to securely7 hold the load. i

, ln the preferred embodiment of the invention de. fribed hereinafter the operation of the brake applying lever mechanism is controlled autoi'natically through the agency ot the brake releasing electromagnet. This is accomplished by connecting a suitable resistance across the terminals of the electroiuagnet to delay the movement oi' the movable magnetic members controlled thereby upon leenergizationot the electromagnet. 'i this vary iii-.f vor iumfluuiisoi is autonuitiu.

1927. Serial No. 180.2871

ly controlled. by the retarded movementof the magnetic members so as to vary the eii'iective pressure ot the brake applying springs in the manner outlined above.

Fig. 1 of the accompanying drawing illus'- trates a preferred structural arrangement of an electromagnetic brake embodying the improvements `of the present invention, Fig. 2 is a simpliiied circuit diagram showingthe electrical connections for the brake releasing electromagnet, and Fig. 3 is-a diagram showing schematically the variation of the etlective pressure ot the brake applying sprin during the application of Vthe brakes.

In the brake structure illustrated in F ig. 1, the braking drum 10 is mountedupo-nthe shaft 11 which may be connected either directly or through suitable gearing to an elevator, hoist or other apparatus. The' op- ]giositely disposed brake shoes 1Q and 13 are biased into braking engagement with the drum 10 by means of the brake applying springs 14 and 15 which are mounted at the ends oit' the interconnecting tension rod 16. The electromagnet 17 having the opposite/ly acting movable magnetic members 18 and 19 serves to oppose the strain of the biasing springs 14 and 15 and thereby eli'ect the release of the brake shoes 12 and 13 from the braking drum 10 y The lever mechanism through which the biasing springs 14 and 15 as well as the releasing electromagnet 17 operates, to eontrol the applicationV and release of the brake shoes 12 and 13 comprises the two main lever arms Q0 and 21 which are mounted respectively upon the pivots 2Q and 23 car ried by the base Qi. The auxiliary lever arms 25 and 26 are pivotally mounted at the upper end of the main lever arms 21 and f2() upon the pivot pins 27 and 28 respectively. Each of the auxiliary lever arms 25 and 26 is formed at its upper end in the shape of a yoke straddling the end of the corresponding main lever arm.

As illustrated in Fig. 2 the operating winding of the brake releasing electromag net 17 may be arranged to be energized from suitable supply lines 30 under the control o the double throw electromagnetic switch 31. The operation of switch 31 is controlled by a` suitable master switch 32 which may be operated in any suitable manner. The electronuignetic switch 31 is normally bia to connect the discharge rc-` sistor R across the terminals ot the operatingl winding;f ot' electromagnet 17 innnediately upon interruption of the energizing eircuit for the windinglr 17. The connection of the resistor H across the terminals of the releasingf magnet 17 operates in a \vellknown manner to delay the collapse of the electromagnetic `ield of the electroniagnct and thereby retard the relcmfe ot the magnetic members 1S and 1t).

lith the arrangement just described the operation ot' the brake is as iolloivs: Vhen the eleetromagnet 1T is deenergized, the brake applying springs 11 and 15 exert pressure upon the main levers 2t) and 21 through the auxiliary levers 25 and 2G and thereby serve to bias the brake shoes 12 and 13 into engagement with the braking' drum 10. The value ot the pressure exerted by the brake applying springs 1-l and 15 may be adjusted as desired by loosening or tightening the adjusting nuts 33 and 34. on the ends of the bar 1G. In this Way a sutliciently strong:r pressure ot' the brake applying springs may be obtained for effectively insuringl that the brakingv drum 10 is securely maintained at rest.

Upon closure of the master switch 32 and the resulting operation of the electromagnetic switch 31 to connect the operating winding` of the brake releasing electromagnet 17 to the supply` lines 30, the elect-romagnetie member 1S is attracted and operates through the push rods and the connecting head 3G to move the auxiliary lever 26 against the strain ot the biasing spring 15. At the same time the movable member 19 of the releasing electromagnet operates through the push rod 37 to move the auxiliary lever 25 against the strain of the bias ingr spring 14. i

Initially the outward movement of the auxiliary lever 2G produces rotation thereof about the pivot pin 2T until the stop 38 of the yoked end ot' the lever 26 engages with the end of the main level' 21. Thereupon the auxiliary lever 2G and the main lever 21 move as a unit about the pivot 23 on the base 24. Likewise the initial outward movement of the auxiliary lever 25 occurs about the pivot 28 until the stop 39 of the yoked end of the lever 25 engages With the end ot the main lever 20. The auxiliary lever 25 and the main lever 2O thereupon move as a. unit about the pivotal mounting 22 upon the base 24.

As the main b 'ake levers 2t) and 21 move apart the brake shoes12 and 13 are released thereby permitting free rotation of the brake drum 10.

To apply the brake, the master switch 32 is opened to 'le-energize the electromagnetic switch 31. As a result the operating Winding ot' the brake releasingl electroimlgnet 17 is disconnected from the supply line 30 and Acompound leverage connected in circuit with the resistor R. As previously pointed out this prevents instantaneous collapse oil' the magnetic field and consequent-ly maintains the attractive :torce upon the magnetic members 18 and 1t). As this attractive ioree gradually decreases, the springs 111 and 15 move the main levers 2t) and 21 together vvith the auxiliary levers 25 and 2G as units to carry the brake shoes l2 and l?) into brakingr engagement with the drum 10. As long as the attractive force upon the magnetic members 18 and 1t) is sntl'icient to maintain the stops 38 and 3f) of the auxiliary levers and 26 in engagement with the ends ot the corresponding main levers 2O and 21, the brake applying springs 14 and 15 operate through a coinpound leverage including both the main levers and the auxiliary levers. Consequently the etTective pressure exerted upon the brake shoes 12 and 153 depends upon both the compound leverage and the degree of comlnession ot' the brake alliplying sljnings 14 and 15 and may have a value such as shown at A in the brake pressure diagram of Fig. 3. Upon further decrease in the n'lannetic attractive force, the auxiliary levers 25 and 26 pivot about the pins 2T and 28 thus carrying stops .t0 and 41 on the auxiliary levers toward the end o1 the main levers 20 and 21 and consequently carrying the stops 38 and 39 away from the end of the main levers. During this movement of the auxiliary levers the compressionot the brake applying springs 1/1 and 15 is decreased without, however7 decreasing the through which the springs operate to exert pressure upon the brake shoes 12 and 1b. Hence as the. compression o1 the springs 1tand l5 is decreased there is a corresponding decrease in the pressure applied to the brake shoes 1.2 and 13 as shovvn by the sloping line AG in Fig. This results in a. corresponding decrease in the braking action exerted upon the drum 10. lVith the tension oil the brake applying springs 14 and '15 l'noperly ad justed and the compound lever system properly proportioned, the braking action of the brake shoes 12 and 123 upon the braking drum 10 corresponding to some intermediate point on the line AC as for example .B in Fig. 3 may be made just suflieient to bring the load to rest with a given torque on the shalt 11. `With the load brought to rest at this point there is no tendency tor the brake shoes 12 and 13 to grab or snub and ,thereby abruptly stop rotation of the brake drum 1t) since the pressure on the brake shoes is decreasing. 'As the stationary coeflieient oi friction of the brake shoes is alvvays greater than the running cocflicient of friction. the drum 10 is held at rest eventhough the pressure on the brake shoes decrease to the value indicated at C in Fig. 3.

ltltl llt! iii

'termali In order,`however, to-insure that the brake drum is securely maintained at rest, tbe pressure exerted on the brake shoes 12 and 13 through the lever mechanism is automatically increased when theV stops 40 and Ll1 of the auxiliary levers and finally engage with the ends of the main levers 2() and Q1. Then this occurs the compound lever action ceases and the full pressure of the brake applying springs 14 and 15 is applied to the main levers 20 and 21 without any compounding action. Consequently the pressure exerted upon the brake slices 12 and 13 when there is no further attractive force on the magnetic members 1S and 19 is increased to the value indicated at D in the brake pressure diagram of Fig. 3.

Vhile I have described Va preferred em bodiment of the invention, it will be understood that the apparatus shown may be modified without departing from the true spirit and scope of the invention.

That I claim as neiT and desire to secure by Letters Pate-nt of the United States,

1. A brake comprising relatively movable friction members, and a spring biased mechanism including a member movable between two positions for automatically effecting braking engagement of said friction members with the effective force of the biasing spring reduced in value below its effective force at either of said two positions when the said member is intermediate said positions.

2. A brake comprising relatively movable friction members, a biasing spring for effecting braking engagement of said friction members, and a movable lever mechanism for controlling the ell'ective force of the biasing spring so as to reduce the braking effeet of the friction members after they are brought into engagement to a minimum at an intermediate position of the lever mecha nism during movement thereof between two positions.

3. A brake comprising relatively movable friction members, a biasing spring for effecting braking engagement of said members, and means operably connecting the biasing spring with the friction members including a main lever and an auxiliary lever pivotally mounted upon the main lever for reducing the braking effect of the friction members during movement of the auxiliary lever between two positions.

4. A brake comprising relatively movable friction members, a biasing spring for effecting engagement of said members, and means operably connecting the spring with one of the friction members comprising a main lever and an auxiliary lever pivotally mounted upon the main lever and operable between two positions for reducing the force exerted by the biasing spring' upon the main lever during movement of the auxiliary lever between said positions.

5. An electromagnetic brake comprising relatively movable friction members, and an electrically controlled spring biasii gj i-nechanism for effect-ing braking engagement of the fri-ction members .with a decreased pressure to a minimum betweenthe initial and final engagement thereof.

G. An electromagnetic brake comprising relatively movable friction members, a spring for biasing the members into braking engagement, and electrically controlled means for reducing the braking effect of the members to a minimum between the initial and final engagement thereof.

An electromagnetic brake comprising relatively movable friction members, a springfor biasing said members into braking engagement, an electromagnet for opposing the spring to release the friction members, and mechanical connections between the spring and the electromagnet for reducing the effective force of the spring after the initial engagement of the friction members.

8. An electromagnetic brake comprising relatively movable friction members, a spring operably connected with one of the members for biasing the same into'braking engagement with the other member, an electromagnet for opposing the spring, and con nections betweenthe spring and the electromagnetk including a member controlled by the electromagnet and movable between two positions and arranged to reduce the force of the spring for biasing the friction members into engagement when said member is intermediate said'positions.

9. An electromagnetic brake comprising cooperating friction members, a spring for biasing the members into braking engagement, a compound lever mechanism interconnecting the spring and one of the friction members, and an clectromagnet arranged to operate upon saidlever mecha nism to oppose the spring upon energization of the electromagnet and thereby release the braking members and to decrease.

the force with which the spring operates duringl engagement of the braking member upon deenergiz'ation of the electromagnet.

10. An electromagnetic brake comprising a brake drum, a friction brake shoe, a spring for biasing the brake shoev into' braking engagement with the brake drum, a compound lever mechanism interconnecting the spring with the brake shoe, and an'electromagnet having a movable magnetic member for operating the lever mechanism tooppose the strain of the biasing spring upon energiza tion of the eleetromagnet and to vary the force of the lspring effective to apply the brake shoe upon deenergization of the electromagnet. y

11. An electromagnetic brake comprising a brake drum, a brake shoe, a spring for biasing the shoe into engagement; with the ilrum, a compound lever mechanism connecting,r the spring with the brake shoe and having relatively movable lever arms, and an electroniagnet having a movable magnetic member for movingA the lever nieehanism to oppose the strain of the biasing;f spring upon energization of the eleel'romaenet; and` l'or controlling relative movement betn'een the lever arms to vary the force exerted by the aprilier upon the brake shoe upon ileenereization of the electromagnet.

152. An electromagnetic brake comprising a brake (lrum, a pair olf oppositely disposed brake sheea` Cooperating with the drum, a pair ol' compression springs for biasing the brake shoes into braking engagement with the drum, a compound lever mechanism eonneetmgr each biasing spring with a corresponding one ol' the brake shoes and having;r

relatively movable level' arms, and an electromagnet having?r a pair of oppositely aeting movable magnetie members, each cooperating with a eorrespom'ling one oll the lever meehaniqms to oppose the strain of the biasing springV associated tlierewith upon energization of the elertrrnnafgnet and for eon trolling' relative movement between the lever arms to vary the force exerted by the springs upon the eorresponclin,gv brake Shoe upon (leenergizaliion of the eleetromagnet.

ln Witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand this 31st day oi March. 1927.

JOHN EATN. 

